Canada

"Deep sadness" hits Nova Scotia

The Canadian Press -
Feb 20, 2013 / 6:07 am | Story:
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Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

A boat heads from the dock in Woods Harbour, N.S. on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Five young fishermen from the ill-fated fishing boat Miss Ally are missing after the vessel capsized and sank off the Nova Scotia coast. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

A pastor says a sadness has fallen over his tiny community in southwestern Nova Scotia as it copes with news that the search for five fishermen has been reduced because there is little hope for their survival.

"It's deep sadness. We're going to rally together," said Phil Williams, a Baptist pastor in Woods Harbour. "This wonderful community is going to be extending their support to their neighbours, especially to these five precious families."

The search for the young men and their capsized boat was reduced to a missing persons case late Tuesday. Two coast guard vessels and five aircraft covered more than 18,000 square kilometres of ocean since a distress signal was received from the fishing boat late Sunday.

Williams said hundreds of people have attended a prayer vigil at his small church, where five candles were lit for the men.

The military says the 13-metre fishing boat Miss Ally capsized about 120 kilometres southeast of Liverpool as it was tossed about by 10 metre waves whipped up by winds approaching hurricane force late Sunday.

The ocean temperature at the time was hovering between 2 C and 4 C.

Williams said he has visited with all the families of the men and they have different opinions on the decision to reduce the search.

"The disbelief about it all, that's what we're feeling," he said.

"There are two main opinions: those who feel the search should continue on and on and on, and those who have just come to the realization that enough has been done."

Williams said the accident is the hardest to hit the community in the 13 years he's lived there and has brought painful memories for older residents who remember others losses at sea.

"These fishermen for decades have lived out of the sea, they've encountered shipwrecks and lost loves ones. We're no strangers to hardship and pain concerning storms."